The Swift Current Broncos could not keep pace with a record-tying performance from Darren Deitz in a 7-3 loss to the Saskatoon Blades on Friday.
Deitz tied a Western Hockey League record for goals by a defenseman in a single game with four goals to help the Blades improve to 35-23-0-1 with their fifth win in as many attempts against the Broncos. The 18-year-old Medicine Hat native only had 19 goals in 134 WHL games heading into the contest.
The Broncos have just a single point in five meetings this season and have now been outscored 25-13 by the Blades.
Coda Gordon scored two more goals for the Broncos and Levi Bews also scored against his former team. Gordon, 17, now has 25 goals after his second consecutive two-goal game. His 25 goals are the most by a Bronco rookie since Alex Leavitt scored 27 in 2003-04.
Jon Groenheyde allowed six goals on 36 shots to drop to 18-25-1-4 in 40 minutes of work. Austin Smith stopped eight of nine shots in relief. Andrey Makarov made 41 saves to improve to 24-16-0-0 for the Blades.
Gordon scored his 13th powerplay goal of the season to lead all WHL rookies as the Broncos finished one-for-four on the man-advantage.
Their woeful penalty-killing unit allowed three goals on five Saskatoon man-advantages, including two powerplay goals from Deitz. Deitz tied the WHL record with seven other blueliners. Richie Regehr was the most recent defenseman to score four goals in a game on Nov. 27, 2002 for the Portland Winterhawks.
The Broncos fell to 21-32-2-4 and are now 17 points back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Broncos have 13 games remaining this season, six at home and seven on the road. They will host the Blades on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Credit Union iplex.
